05-04-2020, 11:39 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-04-2020, 11:43 PM by danbrotherston.)
(05-04-2020, 11:01 PM)jeffster Wrote:(05-04-2020, 06:17 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: Uhh...guys, how little do you think of me. I am absolutely aware of the purpose of the railing.
It does not change the fact that it exists as a result of road widening for the LRT.
Not sure what to say. I assume you think the LRT is a good thing, so what other options did they have? The "fence" starts where it's 1 lane. They have a bike lane on each side. Really the road isn't widened either for cars, as they lost 1 lane each way, though bike lanes were added.
There is no bike lane, there is a pointless painted shoulder because our regional engineers refuse to have a single curb to curb lane narrower than 4.5 meters...you know, except sometimes when they do it and its' okay then. It doesn't meet any requirements for being a bike lane. But don't worry, most drivers can't tell the difference either, and they'll harass you for not using it, and try to run you over when you do, since it disappears at random. I'd say that the bullshit line is the most incompetent thing our LRT team of engineers did to cyclists, but this is the same engineering team that built the northfield bike lanes, so it's kind of a tossup...but honestly, there was exactly zero consideration given for cycling here...
But I digress.
I'm not saying the LRT is a good or bad thing, I'm merely pointing out that its construction has now led to three different sidewalk segments that are fenced (or otherwise blocked) in on both sides. I'm not saying that it shouldn't have been done, or that there's an easy alternative in EVERY case, I'm merely pointing out a fact.
If you want my value judgement, that particular fenced in sidewalk is probably the least offensive of the three partly because it is legitimate (there's actually a danger to peds) and because it is a railing not a fence, but that does not change the reality that it exists.
I'm not sure why this has caused such controversey, it is a simple fact.
Edit: Taylortbb has provided a much more succinct and to the point answer...I agree entirely with their answer.